Parlicov: Moldova Could Produce Electricity for Ukraine

The Energy Ministry head said that our country could produce electricity for Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian gas supplies. In an interview with Europa Libera, Parlicov said that power plants with a capacity of up to 500 megawatts per year could be installed on our country’s territory, with the neighboring state paying only the costs of processing, radiomoldova.md reports. ‘We could try to put some power plants capable of generating electricity on the Moldovan territory, where they would be safe, where they would not be attacked. Of course, Ukraine will also install its own generating facilities, but there is no guarantee that they will not be hit by missiles again. That is why we proposed to find places on the Moldovan territory where we could install generating capacities,’ the Minister said. He explained that Ukraine produced gas, but there was nowhere to burn it, as most of the generating capacity had been destroyed. Thus, Moldova could produce electricity using Ukrainian gas and supply it to the Ukrainian system, covering only the costs of processing and equipment maintenance. ‘We have taken the first steps and will have clarity on where we can place generating facilities. Now we are discussing with the Ukrainian side the practical way of co-operation, who will take over the energy sector and who will supply gas, who will be the system operator on our territory, etc.’ Viktor Parlicov said. Informal discussions on this topic started in April between the Energy Ministers of Moldova and Ukraine, but the information became public after the trilateral meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Chisinau, Kyiv and Bucharest on 5 July. Since spring, Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector have intensified, leading to blackouts in many regions and forcing Kyiv to import huge amounts of electricity from the European Union. To cover this shortfall, Ukraine continues to import electricity from Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Moldova. According to Ukrenergo, the electricity deficit in the system increased, leading to emergency power cuts in Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk, Dnipro and Kirovohrad regions. Authorities are working around the clock to repair damaged infrastructure before the cold season leads to even more consumption.